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Inoculation of Balb/c mice with live attenuated tachyzoites protects against a lethal challenge of Neospora caninum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 September 2007

P. M. BARTLEY ,
S. WRIGHT ,
F. CHIANINI ,
D. BUXTON  and
E. A. INNES
P. M. BARTLEY*
Affiliation:
Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik EH26 0PZ, Scotland, UK
S. WRIGHT
Affiliation:
Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik EH26 0PZ, Scotland, UK
F. CHIANINI
Affiliation:
Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik EH26 0PZ, Scotland, UK
D. BUXTON
Affiliation:
Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik EH26 0PZ, Scotland, UK
E. A. INNES
Affiliation:
Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik EH26 0PZ, Scotland, UK
*
*Corresponding author. Tel: +44 (0)131 445 5111. Fax: +44 (0)131 445 6111. E-mail: [email protected]
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Summary

Neospora caninum tachyzoites attenuated through passage in tissue culture were tested for their ability to induce protective immunity against a lethal challenge dose of parasites. Balb/c mice were each inoculated with either 1×106 live virulent tachyzoites (Group 1) or 1×106 live attenuated tachyzoites (Group 2), while (Group 3) received a control inoculum. All mice were each challenged 28 days later with 5×106 virulent parasites. Histopathological lesions in the brains including necrosis and microgliosis were observed following post-mortem on day 28 post-challenge (p.c.) in 71% of Group 1 and 56% of Group 2. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) of these lesions showed tachyzoites and Neospora antigens to be associated with moderate brain lesions in 17% of Group 1, while in 11% of Group 2 N. caninum tissue cysts were detected, but these were not associated with lesions, Parasite DNA was detected by PCR in the brains of 86% of mice in Group 1 and 56% of mice in Group 2. Following challenge the mice in Group 3 showed high morbidity and 100% mortality within 17 days p.c. Positive IHC for N. caninum was seen in 88% of the Group 3 mice and parasite DNA was detected in all brain samples. This study shows that it is possible to protect against a lethal challenge of N. caninum through inoculation with attenuated or virulent tachyzoites. However, more severe pathology developed in mice initially inoculated with virulent parasites following a secondary challenge, compared to mice initially inoculated with attenuated parasites.

Keywords

Neospora caninumattenuated tachyzoitesprotective immunity
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 135 , Issue 1 , January 2008 , pp. 13 - 21
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

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